Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-03
AMERICANS IN MEXICO.

New 1Ork Herald writes.
The senate has before it resolution of
Senator Butler, of South Carolina, an
pointing a committee Of senator's TO 90
to the Mexican border and, if agreeable
to the Mexican government, to visit Mex-
leo also. to look into reported wrongs suf
fered by Americans in that country.
Mr.. Romero, the Mexican minister
here, was asked by your correspondent
how he regarded this resolution, which
has been much talked of here. He re-
piled:
$50 far as Mexico is concerned I would
be glad that such committee should be
appointed and sent as they will find that
most OF the cases reported in the news
papers of wrongs inflicted by Mexicans
on citizens of the United States are en-
tirely groundless. Any intelligent Amer
lean visiting the frontier will certainly
find many disturbing elements on the
left side of the Rio Gsand, which for self
lsh motives are anxious to create difficult
ties between the two republics, and when
these can do nothing else, they busy
themselves with sending to the press of
the United States utterly ungrounded or
greatly exaggerated reports of disturb
ances of wrongs suffered by citizens of
this country"
Mr.. Romero added that whenever he
saw such reports he always called on his
government for an investigation of the
facts, because such rumors were either
true or not If they were true, the Mexican
government ought to yindicate it's own
laws by Furnishing any violation of them
committed in Mexico, and if they were
not true the report ought to be exposed.
'gThe Herald" he said, ''has kindly pub
/l1shed the results of some of the investi-
cations l have thus caused to be made,
and L offer you here some others, which,
for the sake of mutual good understand
ing between the people Of the two repub-
lies, should be glad to see laid before
the American public
He then gave your correspondent the
following statements:
On September 3, a dispatch from Lare-
do reported the complaint of one l.. G.
Schilling, German, but claiming to be
an American citizen, that he had been
arrested, robbed of his property, and
shot: that his complaint of ill-treatment
had been disregardsd by the Mexican
authorities, and that he was finally releas-
ed through the acGion of the German con-
sui.
"On reference of the telegraphic state
ment to the governor of Coahuila L re-
ceived," said Mr.. Romero, "a letter from
the governor, from which it appears that
Schilling is German subject, and not a
citizen of the United States, as he alleged
that he was arrested at Piedras Negras at
the request of the United States author
tiles, who prosecuted him for the crime
of assault and battery with intent to kill,
which he committed at Pecos, state of
no iS
having been presented to the Judge of
Rio Grande, it was complied with in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the extra
dition treaty at present ia force between
the two countries; that Schilling was not
delivered to the United States authorities
till the court gave its final decision.
During Schllling'S imprisonment the
jailer ordered that $31 in Mexican silver,
SIS in American silver, a silver watch and
busch of keys and papers found on
Schillng's person should be deposited in
the hands of Mr.. Francisco A. Gonzales.
Two metal rings were returned to the
prisoner, and the two pistols he had also
were kept from him till his case was de-
cided by tke court.
'Schilling having applied to the Rio
Grande court for the return of his prop
erty, the judge instituted judicial pro-
ceeding against the jailer of Piedras Ne
gras in order to ascertain the whereabouts
of said property, but, there being no
proofs against the jaiIer, the case was dis
missed. Schilling, not being satisfied
with this decision, applied to the politi-
cal authorities on the third of last July
A short time after Schilling was delivered
; to the United States authorities he re-
turned to Piedras Negras as a fugitive
from the United States for the purpose of
revenging himself on the policeman, An
tonic Ramon, who arrested him first and
delivered him to the United Stated au-
thorities.
"Schllling, on being arrested second
time, offered some resistance with pis-
toll to the policeman, who took out his
and fired three shots at Schilling, one of
which wounded him slightly in the left
arm. The court then commenced pro-
ceedlngs against the policeman, Antonio
Ramon. Schiliing petitioned the court
to set him at liberty to cure his wound
and his request having been complied
with he left the prison, and managed to
escape soon after. The best proof that
Schilling's charges are ungrounded is
that the United States consul to whom he
says he frequently applied, did not take
any steps In the matter before the Next
can authorities on his behalf. It is be-
sides stated that Schilling suffers from
mental alteration, which unsettles his
mind entirely, and the Mexican authori-
ties did all they could to protect him.
On the 9th of last September a tele-
gram from Austin, Texas, reported that
great wrong had been done in Lower
California upon two Americans-Wood
and Gaskell-by the Mexican author
ties.
II communicated the charges made in
detail to my government" said Mr.
Romero, 'asking it to investigate, and.
the inquiry showed that Wood and Gas
kell had been arrested, and are now be-
ing tried because they are accused of the
murder of Hanson, and of the conceal
ment of his property; that, as the case
requires the presence of several witnesses
residing at a great distance from each
other, the Mexican government had Or
dered that the necessary expenses should
be betrayed ont of the federal treasury,
and had besides sent a judge to Lower